Zeeland budget sees tech upgrades

Wednesday

Apr 2, 2014 at 7:03 AM

By Peg.McNichol@hollandsentinel.com(616) 546-4269

The city of Zeeland's expenses will rise by an estimated 1.7 percent, $42,319,419, for the upcoming fiscal year, which starts on June 30. The good news is, city coffers will see 2 percent more in revenue, $44,614,081. Those big numbers include major projects, such as the building and street renovations, but it also includes small purchases.During Tuesday's budget workshop, most department heads requested new technology. Bob Vande Vusse, who runs the Howard Miller Library and Community Center, said seven library computers and two used by the community center must be replaced. The computers can't be upgraded, he said, and all are running old software.Zeeland Police Chief Bill Olney requested four new computers. Three are replacements, he told city council members, while the fourth would be reserved for digital evidence. The fourth computer would not be connected to the Internet, he said.Clerk Karen Jipping is requesting $2,000 to replace the state-required computer in the council's meeting chambers. She also requested new software for the cemetery, which will help people find loved ones' graves, she said. She also asked for the city's 20-year-old voting booths to be replaced.Assessor Art Grimes said his office would share the use of a new tablet-style computer that would be used for assessing and code enforcement.City Attorney Jim Donkersloot did not request new technology, instead asking for a fee increase from his current $139 per hour to $143. His usual rate is $205, he said. The city is seeing an increasing number of people ticketed for driving without a license, which he attributed to driver responsibility fees, "which typically hit people who are economically disadvantaged," he said.Members of city council said this year's budget workshops were much more efficient than in years past, in no small part thanks to the tablet computers they used to read budget details during the presentations. Several council members praised department heads as good stewards of the city's finances.The city's budget will be finalized in May. City council is set to meet Monday evening and might tweak certain elements, such as charitable donations. — Follow this reporter on Facebook and Twitter, @SentinelPeg.

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